


For You

by Rainbow_Whale_Shark



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Ficlet, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Self-Esteem Issues, Spoilers, partial Shapeshifting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:42:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24891775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainbow_Whale_Shark/pseuds/Rainbow_Whale_Shark
Summary: Hilda is injured in battle and it's all Marianne's fault.
Relationships: Marianne von Edmund/Hilda Valentine Goneril
Kudos: 48





	For You

**Author's Note:**

> I just think their dynamic is neat

Keep the secret, this curse is yours, don't let yourself be a burden. Even through the noise of the battlefield, Marianne's internal mantra was clear in her mind, helping her maintain her grip on humanity. 

The war tested her will almost daily, each battle leaving her wondering if she could stay in control. She desperately wanted to leave the front lines, fall back to the nurse's tent where she could heal from afar, but the professor wouldn't have it. 

There was one benefit to fighting on the battlefield, and that was being able to support Hilda, the most constant thing in her life. The warrior had been quick to open up to her when they first arrived, her bubbly personality threatening to shatter the walls Marianne had built up. 

She'd remained by her side in a show of surprising loyalty, standing up for her when no one else would. However shameful to admit, Marianne was more than a little fond of her. 

A flash of lighting soared by her, interrupting her thoughts. Before she had a chance to attack, Hilda sprinted past her, burying her axe in the enemy mage. The sickening crunch of bone was something she wasn't sure she'd ever get used to. 

"Marianne!" Hilda yelled, brushing her bangs from her face. "Pay attention to what's in front of you!" 

"I'm sorry!" She took a breath, attempting to clear her head before turning to face the rest of the attacking army. With a steady hand, she fluidly switched between dark and light magic, settling into a rhythm. 

Though she was holding her ground, Marianne was vulnerable from behind, something their enemies swiftly realized. A dark mage snuck out from the crowd, preparing a spell as he got in position. 

Hilda, having mowed through nearly half of their defenses, noticed seconds too late. There was no time to warn Marianne; she acted purely on instinct, shoving her out of the way and taking the hit herself. 

The magic was quick to act, sapping away her strength and leaving her immobilized on the ground; she couldn't think about how it would've affected Marianne instead. 

"Hilda! Hilda, say something!" Marianne cried out to her, but she showed no signs of life. Seeing her dearest friend motionless on the ground broke something within her. All at once, the stirring in her mind overwhelmed her, the gnawing in her stomach reaching its peak, all thoughts of control vanished. 

Uncharacteristically, her hand flew to the sword at her side, carelessly swinging in the direction of the enemy mage. His blood splattered onto her dress and Hilda's body, serving only to fuel her unnatural rage. 

This feeling was somewhat familiar to Marianne, similar to the few times that she'd given into the curse and transformed. Something was different, though. She felt awake, in control, and more powerful than ever. 

Her chest heaved with each breath, nails and teeth extending uncomfortably into claws and fangs. She worked herself into a frenzy before charging the few enemies that remained, abandoning her sword at some point during the assault. 

She tore through them with no regard for her own safety, mind focused only on keeping them away, protecting Hilda from further damage. Gone was any hesitation of taking life, gone were the fears of letting others see who she truly was, banished to the darkest part of her mind in favor of baser instincts. 

Finally, the last one fell, and Marianne collapsed onto her knees next to Hilda. She shuddered uncontrollably, euphoria replaced with a sensation of…loss. She watched her claws retract, shifting back into normal fingers. 

"Hilda! Goddess, please-- say something!" Marianne moved to cup Hilda's face, stopping herself just before she touched her. "This is all my fault…it should've been me. I'm so sorry." 

Hilda groaned weakly beneath her, eyelids fluttering as she looked up at Marianne. 

"Your eyes…" was all she said before passing out again. 

Marianne rushed for help. 

\--

"You can't possibly do this on your own, Marianne," Manuela scolded, sorting through various tinctures. "Let someone else help you." 

"No!" The force of the word caught them both off guard, Manuela raising an eyebrow. "It's--it's my fault that this happened, I'm taking responsibility. If I need help, I promise, I'll step back immediately. Just…please, let me take care of her." 

The physician sighed, eyeing the young healer warily. "I am only agreeing to this because of how thin we're spread, and if I have an inkling that you can't handle this, I'm taking over." Her normally demure expression was marred with a deep scowl, not towards Marianne, but the situation in general. 

"Thank you, Professor Manuela. I'll be taking my leave now." Marianne practically ran out of her office without a second look back. 

Manuela sighed once more, staring at the empty doorway. She missed the simpler times. 

\--

In the infirmary, Marianne watched over Hilda diligently. She was due to wake up at some point during the day. The pink haired woman hated not looking her best, even when injured, so Marianne combed through her hair. 

This shouldn't have happened. The cycle of self-blame continued quietly in Marianne's mind as she nimbly braided Hilda's hair. I let her get hurt for me, she could've died. She stopped only when she caught a glimpse of Hilda's face. 

Her hair, now braided back and out of the way, served to frame her features, leaving Marianne flustered and overwhelmed. 

She found herself wanting to reach out again, but pulled her hand back at the last moment. 

Marianne jumped as Hilda stirred, eyes fluttering open into an expression of confusion. 

"Hilda?" 

"M-Mari?" The words were barely a whisper falling from chapped lips. "What happened to me? Oh, I feel awful." 

Another wave of guilt washed over Marianne as she was forced to recount the events leading up to Hilda's infirmary visit. 

"It was my fault. I wasn't paying attention and I let them ambush me and--" 

A hand over hers stopped her mid-sentence, causing her to meet Hilda's eyes for the first time that day. 

"I hate hearing you blame yourself," frowned Hilda, not releasing Marianne's hand. "If I didn't think I'd survive that hit, well…I think I would've taken it anyway." 

Marianne felt her breath catch in her throat at the surprisingly earnest confession. It felt like Hilda was staring into her soul with how steady her gaze was; Marianne wondered if she'd live through this encounter. 

"We should talk, Mari," Hilda began, painfully grave. "I'm pretty sure I almost died back there, and I'm positive there's going to be a thousand more chances for us to die." 

She paused, leaving Marianne to agonize over what might come next. 

"We've known each other for five years, and I'm about to break the main rule of friendship." 

I'm no good for you, please don't say it, please don't--

"I think I might have feelings for you." There was a pause, Marianne grimacing as Hilda chuckled nervously. "You don't have to say anything. I just don't like leaving things unsaid." 

"Do you think this is funny?" Marianne snatched her hand away, tears forming in her eyes. "You don't get to laugh about your death! Not when there's a war going on, not when you'll leave me here without you." 

She clenched her fists in her lap, shaking as tears fell freely. 

"You'll never understand how much you mean to me," Marianne whispered. "You're the only one who's ever stood up for me, even when I wouldn't stand up for myself." 

Hilda winced as she sat up, gripping the bandages wrapped around her torso. 

"I can't stand the thought of losing you." 

"Marianne…"

"I don't understand how someone like you could like me. I'm always messing things up, getting in the way, I'm a curse. You can do better." 

Her self-depreciation was met with a scoff from Hilda. 

"I will not be told who I should and shouldn't have feelings for. You can't talk me out of caring about you."

Marianne sighed quietly, letting Hilda push her hair from her face. "I think it'd be a lot of work to love someone like me." 

"It's not work when it's you, Mari." Their eyes met again, and Marianne hesitantly leaned forward. 

They sat in silence for a few moments, foreheads pressed together, letting the weight of the situation set in.

"I had the strangest dreams while I was passed out," Hilda spoke up, attempting to lighten the mood. "You had yellow eyes in one of them." 

Marianne glanced away, simultaneously grateful and guilty for Hilda's temporary delirium. 

"I think you looked rather handsome with yellow eyes," teased Hilda. 

"I just think you were really out of it," Marianne replied, finally matching her smile. 

"Yeah…I guess I was." 

The memory of a partially transformed Marianne wouldn't fade for quite a while, but Hilda didn't press for details like she normally would. She wanted to learn everything about Marianne in her one time, when she was ready to share.


End file.
